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It’s a heck of a way to run a pre-election campaign. On the eve of an expected election, politicians usually spend their time playing up good news, downplaying the bad, shaking hands and kissing babies.

In Botswana, just follow wherever the tracks may lead

On safari in Botswana's Chobe National Park, driving down towards Chobe River.

Photograph by: Elaine Yong
, for Postmedia News

There's nothing quite like having breakfast in the open air of the Botswana bush as a lion saunters past, a scant hundred metres away, contemplating his own morning snack. But as our learned safari guide, Brent Reed, reminds us, the so-called king of the jungle is more like a lazy house cat, sleeping at least 20 hours a day. Lions aren't interested in humans ... most of the time.

That's enough reassurance for me. I leap out of my chair and scurry over as far as I possibly dare to snap a few pictures, under Reed's watchful eye. My husband, parents, aunt and uncle aren't too far behind. As we point and ogle, the large male ignores us and continues on his walkabout, padding off into the murky darkness of the mopane forest.

There is a second male in the area -- we were kept awake by the unmistakable rumbles and throaty roars of the pair all night -- but despite Reed's eagle-eyes and high-powered Swarovski binoculars, no sighting of the other lion. Back to our bacon and eggs, still warm, so we can fuel up for another day on safari in Africa.

It is this type of wilderness experience visitors from around the world expect when they come to Botswana, and the landlocked southern African country does not disappoint. More than a third of the land here is protected. Vast tracts of forest, wetlands, and desert are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna.

Thanks to a lucrative diamond industry that was discovered after independence from Britain, Botswana can afford to be a leader in conservation of natural resources and ecotourism. With a low-volume, high-cost tourism philosophy, it's the opposite of eastern Africa where a lion sighting in the Masai Mara is often in the company of a half-dozen safari vehicles. During our 10 days in Botswana, we would travel for hours through the country's most popular national parks and wilderness areas before seeing other tourists.

Even after leading more than 200 safaris, Reed says he never knows what to expect when he heads into the bush: "It's the constant anticipation. What's around the corner? There are so many things to keep you interested and as long as you are not being boring you will never get bored."

Reed was born and raised in South Africa as a third-generation naturalist. He grew up with an abiding passion for everything wild and an encyclopedic knowledge, including enough Latin names to impress even the most jaded. But the corporate world beckoned and he spent a few years working in the U.K., until his younger brother called from Botswana and urged him to return to Africa: "You have to come here. It's amazing." When Reed arrived in the mid-90s, he knew he was home. The brothers guided at separate safari companies for a few years before launching their own venture in 2001. They were known as the "Letaka brothers" around town -- Lethaka being the Setswana word for the reeds that grow around the Okavango Delta lagoons -- and even more appropriate because they are both tall and slim. So it seemed fitting to call their new company Letaka Safaris.

Their specialty is mobile tented safaris, but don't let the word "tent" fool you. A tented safari, Letaka-style, includes cots with linens, a private ensuite "bathroom" with pit toilets and hot bucket showers, three-course dinners paired with South African wines, and laundry service. Bush campsites are private and secluded, and the crew travels ahead of you to set up. Our private safari for six was staffed by three friendly camp personnel -- chef/manager Chris Tshukudu and his two assistants, Lops and KB. In the middle of nowhere, with no grocery store in sight, the crew even managed to whip up a delicious chocolate cake with icing in honour of my birthday.

While one night at an all-inclusive safari lodge can easily soar beyond $1,000 US in high season (June to October), mobile camping is less than half that, making it a much more attainable once-in-a-lifetime splurge, not to mention more intimate. For those who want to truly immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of the African wilderness, sleeping under canvas, as the early explorers did, is the only way to go.

In our first hour in Chobe National Park, the crown jewel in Botswana's safari circuit, our open-sided Land Cruiser creeps only a few kilometres as Reed introduces us to his backyard. Every turn has us spellbound as the scenery unfolds in breathtaking fashion. The vast rolling plains of Namibia and low-lying shrubs on the Botswana side meet at the undulating ribbon of the Chobe River. On either bank, as far as we can see, massive herds of elephants graze and play. Calves splash in the river awkwardly, juveniles mock charge each other, while the mothers stand guard. With a population of 120,000, Chobe boasts the largest concentration of elephants in Africa.

But as we learn from Reed, that hasn't come without a price. He points out the carnage left behind by these relentless herbivores. Almost every tree in the sparse riparian forest lining the river has faced the wrath of elephants on the rampage, and in the hardest-hit areas, dead acacias and fever-berry trees litter the ground. Reed explains: "Many zoologists believe Botswana's elephant population is grossly over the carrying capacity of our semi-arid environment, and this needs to be addressed." He goes on to tell us the damage is so severe, it can even be seen from space.

So far, the destruction hasn't had any visible impact on the rest of the prolific wildlife in northern Botswana. We drive past herds of foraging zebra, statuesque giraffes, and grumpy-looking buffalo as we head to our first campsite of the trip.

After the initial sleepless night with unfamiliar sounds and smells, and a few nocturnal visitors -- honey badgers, jackals and hyenas are known to frequent campsites for scavenging -- we quickly adapt to the rhythm of being on safari. Our days begin before the crack of dawn with a wake-up "knock" at our tent flaps and a light breakfast. As the sun climbs over the horizon, we are already in the Land Cruiser, heading out on our first game drive of the day. With mobile camping, there is no plan and no rigid timetable to follow. We go where the tracks go -- it only takes our top-notch guide and tracker a few seconds of studying footprints to determine the animal, sex, size, direction of travel and time since departure. Sometimes it leads to every creature except the one we are seeking, but that is part of the adventure of being on safari.

There is a mid-morning tea break followed by more game driving. Then back to camp where chef Chris has prepared a leisurely brunch. Bush cuisine, all cooked over the fire, includes pizza, lasagna, roast chicken, salads, cookies and fresh-baked bread.

Afternoons are spent relaxing around the tents, usually culminating in a siesta. As the heat of the day starts to wane, an afternoon tea break signals our imminent departure for the day's second game drive. Sundowners are enjoyed in a picturesque spot before returning to camp in the dark, just in time for dinner. The evening winds down with hot drinks by the campfire -- call it "bush TV" -- under the starry skies. In private reserves, such as the Khwai Community Area on the fringes of the Okavango Delta, there are bush walks and night game drives, both experiences not to be missed.

After a couple of days, everyone adopts a favourite animal or two. While my mom and I fall in love with the elephants and giraffes, my dad seems to feel a kinship towards some of Africa's least endearing creatures -the warthog and wildebeest. There are plenty of sightings to indulge us all.

My husband, Aaron, becomes something of a "twitcher" -- birder slang for "birder" -- under Reed's tutelage. Our guide's passion for birds is contagious. We see only a fraction of the 500 plus avian species on display in Botswana, but that includes many rare and exotic feathered creatures such as the memorable lilac-breasted roller and carmine bee-eater -- both as resplendent as their names suggest.

However, it's still the predators that are at the top of our list. So one afternoon, when we hear camp assistant Lops crackling over the radio, "There is a leopard in camp!" we leap into action. Reed peels away from the ancient grove of baobab trees we were admiring and yells at us: "Hang on!" He careens through the soft sandy tracks that criss-cross the Savuti area of Chobe, finding the quickest way back without jostling us out of the vehicle.

We get there in plenty of time to follow the young male leopard as it attempts to hunt a few guinea fowl -- a laughable endeavour that would look at home in a Bugs Bunny movie. The cat even leaps into a tree, trying to follow the birds as they easily escape into the air. Unperturbed, he bounds back down to the ground, and takes another patrol around the area, coming within a few metres of our vehicle. It's an amazing half an hour with an elusive animal that's notoriously difficult to see in the wild. Even Reed is impressed: "We were very lucky. That was an unbelievable sighting because most times, the leopard just walks across the path and disappears into the bush."

A few days later, we bid farewell to Reed and the Letaka team to indulge in one of the Okavango Delta's luxury tented camps. For our last two nights in Botswana, flush toilets, hot running water on demand, and real beds seem like a fitting sendoff. But as we sit around the dining table at the posh Pom Pom Camp, after a gourmet meal on fine china, we reminisce about our nights in the bush. "I miss Brent," my mom wistfully sighs. And all of us are feeling the same sense of letdown. Despite the numerous creature comforts at our $700 US a night per person lodge, we agree the real highlight of our Botswana safari was our adventure with Letaka.

In the middle of the vast untouched wilderness, sleeping under canvas epitomizes the classic African safari experience and the romance of a bygone era. Fully immersed in nature, 24 hours a day, the raw beauty just seeps into your soul.

As Reed aptly sums it up: "Safari is all about awakening the senses. It's the smell of wild sage as the sun sets, listening to lions roar while you lie in bed, gazing up in awestruck wonder at a sea of stars, and stroking the bark of a 2,000-year-old baobab tree. It's so many things and more -- you get an experience that will change your life."

IF YOU GO

There are no direct flights to southern Africa from YVR. The most direct route is to go via Johannesburg, which means at least one stop in Europe or the U.S. Expect to pay at least $1,700 round trip. Consider flying from Seattle for savings of up to $500 per ticket. From Johannesburg to Maun round trip, the fare is around $500. It pays to work with a specialty travel agent who has access to consolidator fares and airline offers.

Letaka Safaris ( www.letakasafaris.com)is based in Maun, Botswana. Current all-inclusive rates run about $400 US per person per night on scheduled peak-season mobile safaris. Groups of six or more can arrange private departures for similar pricing. For the best rates, travel in the off-season (generally November to April). Letaka also specializes in birding safaris across southern Africa ( www.birdingsafaris.com).A scheduled 17-day trip through Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique is priced at $4,750.

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